Bulls confident Gibson will play in Game 6

Versatile big man always has responded well to treatment

May 09, 2012|By K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune reporter

Four of the five games Taj Gibson has missed in his first three seasons were because of sprained ankles. However, the versatile big man always has responded well to treatment, which is why Bulls management is as confident as Gibson that he will play in Game 6 on Thursday.

The Bulls traveled and had a film session in Philadelphia on Wednesday evening. Gibson, who vowed to play late Tuesday, underwent treatment throughout the day on his latest sprain, the right ankle. There is not nearly as much swelling as in Joakim Noah's severely sprained left ankle, according to someone familiar with the situation.

Gibson played close to six fourth-quarter minutes Tuesday after suffering the injury late in the third. His ability to switch and guard multiple positions — he stopped point guard Jrue Holiday on one second-quarter drive, then blocked center Spencer Hawes' shot on the next possession — is valuable to the Bulls defense.

Noah, who has declined interview requests, told broadcaster Chuck Swirsky he's "feeling better" and "just trying to get out there for the next game." Though he has ditched his walking boot and his ankle has responded to treatment, reducing its swelling, he has yet to run and is almost certainly out for Game 6.

"Not being out there with your teammates is hard," Noah told Bulls.com. "This is what you live for is to play in games like this."

Invisible man: Another fourth quarter, another benching of Richard Hamilton. The veteran shooting guard has logged just 10 minutes, 10 seconds in the fourth quarter this series, sitting out three of them.

Hamilton sat for the final 17:02 of Game 5, exiting for Ronnie Brewer after Evan Turner blew past him in the third.

"It is what it is," Hamilton said.

Layups: Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, on the 76ers' 24-11 free-throw disparity in Game 5: "I'm not going to say anything. Some things are better left unsaid." The 76ers own a 134-90 advantage in the series. … Derrick Rose is watching games with friends and family in a luxury suite in part to avoid his injured knee getting hit while on the bench. The scrum between Gibson and Elton Brand almost spilled into the Bulls bench.